Display device



A. H. ZELEDON DISPLAY DEVICE Filed April '20, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ISmxntor attorney Nov. 1, 1932 Nov. 1, 1932. A.'-H. ZE LEDON 1,886,144

' DISPLAY bEvIcE Filed Apri l 2Q. 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 (lttorneg Patented Nov. 1, 1932 ALFEED E. mmmn, 9F CAGU, 01S,

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In the eceempsnying drewimgs. I have i1- lustretei ene cemplete example anti two mattified forms of the physical emiment of mv invention wherein the parts are com' bineci and arrsngezi'in accord with modes I have devised for the practical application of the I seems; that varieus changes m6; at

principles of my invention, but it 1mtemtiem may be mefite in the exemgtified s t-me se within the scope of my eppen'iefi svitheut ctepe'rting from'the primeifpies mvemtletl.

bend, em? this see on cits g e". 8 skews perms ciiete semen; em?

skews e pefiziexz its J The epem 0f the 515st ere emeT -eserl witizin heusing it victefii e eemevehle es tep-etes E exact the is shaped ts e the eempsetty palms wit tester. The tmveling bend er en 1 sitheegh met necessarily is pretem gahetegrephie fitm 2, anti terms a s e aspen which im erigstiens, em, ette weeds, ete, are pmieeeti, shown Figs and 9, the portiee. ea? mating this subject 1' is ent. Thus the Words Kentucky tlerhy, the eutline 3 of the jeekey rifing the time horse, ere trensperent. Beceuse of the timiting restrictions ofthe sheetofdrswing, "l heve shown only twe words, snfi one hem but it will 01? course be understood that the entire endless belt bears suitable inscriptiefie or advertising subject matter, anc'ithat e largr number of horses, in actual practice, are displayed on 'the belt.

The display-flight of the belt passes in a straight line across the field and in front of an illuminating lamp 4, which is provided with a hi hly concentrated filament from which the ight rays are radiated and transmitted through the transparent portions of the otherwise opaque or translucent belt.

The display of images of course takes lace throu bout the len h of the illuminate displayight of the It, and this flight is of suitable length for the display of the desired subject matter.

The subject matter of the display is enlarged, and projected upon a front display panel 5 in Figure 1, on the panel 5a in Fi re 4, or upon the panel 5b in Figure 6 whic in this instance, represents the pane of glass in a show-window.

The endless belt is conveyed in the directions as indicated by the arrows in Fi re 1, and the illuminated display-flight o the belt moves from right to left in Figures 1, 4, 7 and 9, in order that the inscription, as it appears on the display anel, may be read by the observer from lei t to right in usual manner.

If desired, the letters or other display portions of the belt may be colored, by staining in suitable colors, so that the rejected images when displayed on the dis Fay panels 5, 5a, and 5b, will be reprodu and enlarged, in attractive color or colors.

The endless band is compactly arranged on tortuous lines within the housing in order that a considerable length of band may be mg,

accommodated, without winding or ree or folding of the band. As thus shown, the band is maintained at all times in extended position to eliminate danger of breaking,

uckling, or cracking, and to prevent marrin that would occur due to frictional contact 0 diflerent parts of the band.

In Figure 1, the band travels around a number, as four 0 rating rollers 6, 7, 8 and 9, and four idle ro lers 10, 11, 12 and 13, the

- operating roller 6 being a drive roller, and

the idle roller 10 being a tension roller, while the rollers 9 and 13 are the guide rollers ghatdform the display-flight of the traveling As best seen in Figures 2 and 5, all of the rollers are provided with annular ads or cushions 14, which may be fashion of velvet, orother suitable material, that will pro tect the film or band against wear and niarring, and at the same time rovide the required frictional en ment with the travehng band necessary or the operation of the device.

As shown, the upper and lower ends of th pads or cushions 14 terminate short of the upper and lower edges of the traveling band, an I find by actual practice that this freetraveling band, and the 'dom from frictional contact of the edges of the band with the roller, reduces wear on the edges of the band, prevents bucklin and thereby prolongs the usefulness of the and.

As best shown in Figures 2 and 5 the rotatable rollers are journaled on hearing pins 15 that have a rigid, driven fit in the two walls 16 and 17 of a base plate that is secured to the bottom of the housing for the su rt of the rollers.

ach rolier is rovided with a gear wheel 18 (preferably 0 fiber) at its lower end, and between these gear wheels are interposed idle pinions 19, thus forming a train of gearing for actuating the set of four 0 ratin rollers in synchronism at the left side of igure 1, and of course the set of idle rollers at the right side of the housing in Figure 1 revolves with the movement imparted to the belt.

Any suitable motor, as an electric motor 20, may be employed for supplying the power to operate-the rollers 6, 7, 8 and 9, and the bevel gear-couple 21 transmits power from the motor to the large driving gear 22, which meshes with the gear 18 of the driving roller 6, for imparting movement to the rollers and to the endless band 1.

The endless traveling band is held taut throughout its length, and maintained under the proper tension, by means of the tension roller 10 that is journaled-on a pin 15 which is supported at the free end of a tension arm 23. At its other end the arm 23 is pivoted at 24 to a suitable support on the bottom of the housing, and a sprin 25 has one end secured to the arm and its 0t er end to an eye-bolt 26 in the side wall of the housing. As thus arranged, the spring tends to pull on the pivoted arm, which carries the roller 10, ,and in this manner the slack is taken out of the band to insure a uniform traveling motion for all light rays emanating at the lamp 4, which rays pass through the transparencies of the projected image is displayed on the panel 5.

For the simulation of animated movement on the display-panel, and in cooperation with the transparency 3 on the traveling band, I utilize an intermediate screen 28 having portions subject to different degrees of ermeability of light rays emanating from t e lamp 4. .A vertical'reciprocatin movement to simulate the leg-movement o a running horse is obtained by the use of a series of transparent strips 29 representing pairs of legs of horses on the stationary, intermediate screen. and the transparency 3 of the traveling band.

The legs of the horse 3 coast with the legs or sesame strips 29 for the interception of the light rays, and at the points of intersection the running movement of the legs is simulated.

The leg movement of the horses is only one example of the animated, or motion picture efiwt, which is produced by the combination of transparent portions on the traveling band and the intermediate stationary screen. li a vertical, reciprocating or transverse movement, as that of the pistons of an internal oonihustion engine, is desired, this efiect may produced on panel by the combination 1 horizontal transparencies or strips on the trsveling hand end transparent strips orrenged, alternately, st forty-five degreeenglee to the perpendicular on the ststionery intermediate screen, and other enimeted ovein-ents may he produced by vsrietions the relative positions of transparencies on the traveling tend end the interinediste s, addition the longitudinally letters or inennnete images rogecteci o '3" t I is display-pencil, :1 continuous iii-ll ousins. "nee or roll on herlesir o? length oi the or driving rollers is used one to housing, another set of idlers rollers the opposite side of the sing, end the tension roller or ension may he located suitable points length of the hand or heit.

As indicated in Figure 5, the rollers are mounted to revolve on the pointed hesrine end 3% at the upper end or the fixed pin l5,

the roller, which is cored out at its centor for the pin, is provided with an upper hearing sleeve 37 end a. lower hearing sleeve 38, leaving: the major portion oi the roller tree from the pin. I

A metal cap plate 39 is secured, as by integrsl studs or prongs 40, at the top of the roller, and this cap plate rests on the hearing point 36 of the pin. Thus it will be apparhousing and the intermediate screen, and the enelis adjustable with relation to the housmg and the traveling belt therein. To proride the necessary sdjustment, I employ two pairs of side arms 41 on which the panel is supported, end these poirs of arms are slidehle in the sleeves 3-2 mounted on the opposicles, and exterior of the housing, for use in moving the onel to'sverd' or ewey from the housing,- uitehle iosteners, es set belts or screws 2-3, may he used in the sleeves secure arms in fined adjusted position. The letter is displayed on the intermediate screen, end enlarged end projected on the ispley-penel, to illustrate he of this in of the display sign or device, and it e u that size the letter on reduced es the panel is moved .djusted towel-d housing, and insed the is adjusted from GllSlllQ. I

-gur 6, where the switch the the switch l? for motor are shown, .e "ht the travelin or belt error-we sllel a -e interrnerliete screen it is used end "w ith the displaypanel, and suhiect matter of the displayiil'ght is projected on the displsy-psnel with uniformity without distortion. The ooncentreti ascent of the single imnishes the light "eys to outwardly from the housing the displsypenei, end the letters or words one displayed in enlarged size, but the enlsrged letters ore esect duplications of one soother tie to size and shape; and when the intermediate panel coects with the traveling hand to produce the scene-inaction or motion-picture eh'ect, these ellects ere also uniformly and evenly distributed and enlarged on the panel.

Various changes and alterations may he made, and are contemplated, in the exempliflying structures of the drawings, and it will he apparent that the display device may he edapted for numerous uses, and the belts be provided with e. variety of inscriptions, advertisements, and other matter to be displayed.

' Having thus fully described my invenstroight, fist tion, what I claim as new and desire to sec re by Letters Patent is:

1. In an illuminated sign of the endless traveling-belt type, the combination with a straight display'flight of the belt havin li ht-transmltting portions and a lamp bac 0 said fli ht, of means for operating the belt, a display-panel arranged in parallelism with said flight and adapted to receive images projected through said light-transmitting portions, means for varying the distance between said dis lay-panel and display-flight, an interme 'ate screen, and coactlng means on the belt and screen for producing animated movement effects on the panel.

2. In an illuminated sign of the endless traveling-belt type having light-transmitting portions, means for holdin a rtion of the belt in a strai ht displayig t, means for (:peratin the elt, and a lamp back of the 'splayight, of a display-panel arranged in parallelism with the displayfiig t, and means for varying the distance between said display-flight and panel.

3. In an illuminated sign of the endless traveling-belt type having light transmitting portions, means for producing a straight display-flight in the traveling belt,

means for operating the belt, and an illuminating lamp adjacent the display-flight, of a display-panel arallel vwith the displayflight, an adjustable su port for the displaypanel, and means for holding the anel 1n adjusted position with relation to said flight.

4. In an illuminated sign of the endless traveling-belt type having light transmitting portions, means for holding a portion of the belt in a straight display-flight and means for operating the belt, of a display-panel adapted to receive images from the displayflight, an intermediate screen, and coacting means on the belt and screen for producing animated movement effects on the panel.

5. In an illuminated sign of the endless traveling-belt type having light-transmitting portions, means for holdin a. portion of the belt in a straight displayight, and means for operating the belt, of a displa -panel adapted to receive images from the isplayflight, an intermediate screen having a lighttransmitting field, said screen and anel being arranged in parallelism with t e flight, and coacting means on the belt and screen for producing animated movement effects on the panel.

6. In an illuminated sign, the combination with a housing, a set of operating rollers and power-transmission means connecting said rollers, a set of guide rollers, a traveling belt, and one roller of each set being arran to guide the belt in a straight display-flig t, of a display panel and an'intermedlate screen locaetfd 1n parallelism with said flight and pan 1,aee,144

7. In an illuminated sign, the combination with a housing, a set of operating rollers and power-transmission means between said rollers, a set of guide rollers, a tension-actuated guide roller, a traveling belt, and a roller of 7 each set arranged to guide the belt in a straight display-flight, of a display panel in parallelism with said flight, and an intermediate screen parallel with said fiight and panel. 4

8. In an illuminated sign, the'combination of a set of operating rollers and actuating means therefor, a set of ing endless belt, and friction means on said rollers terminating short of the edges of the belt, whereby the edges of the belt are conveyed free of the rollers.

9. In an illuminated sign, the combination of a set of operating rollers and actuating means therefor, a set of guide rollers, a traveling endless belt, and annular friction-pads on the rollers terminating short of the edg s of the belt, whereb the edges of the belt are conveyed free 0 the rollers.

10. In an illuminated sign, the combination of a set of operating rollers and actuating means therefor, a set of guide rollers, a traveling endless belt, pins for axially supporting said rollers, a bearingoint at the up r end of each pin, and a bearing-member rigid with the roller for supporting each roller on its 11. In an illuminated sign, the combination of a setof operating rollers and actuating means therefor, a set of uide rollers, and a traveling endless belt, sald rollers each having a cored-out center and upper and lower bearing sleeves, a fixed pin for each roller and an upper pointed bearing-end on each pin, and a bearing cap fixed on each roller and suspended on a bearing end.

In testimony whereof, I have aflived my signature.

ALFRED H. ZELEDON.

ide rollers, a travel- 

